Violin

Spider silk may be known for being extremely strong, yet it's also elastic. With these dual qualities in mind, a Design Engineering postgrad from Imperial College London has created a one-of-a-kind violin … using silk spun by an Australian Golden Orb Spider.​

Gizmag first heard from Claudio Capponi about two years ago when he told us that he'd started working on a new musical instrument. Development has continued apace ever since and now the Liutaly iV electric violin is ready for its place in the spotlight.

MIT acousticians and fluid dynamicists have teamed up with violin makers to meticulously analyze hundreds of instruments from the Cremonese period. The findings not only reveal key design features, but also shed light on whether the development of the instruments was deliberate.

Here's one out of left field. Turkish musician Gorkem Sen has invented a new kind of musical instrument that incorporates fretted strings, coiled springs and drum membranes to create a range of haunting and beautiful sounds we've never heard before – at least, not this side of a synthesizer.